Air duct

ABSTRACT

An air duct includes a board defining an opening and a number of spaced plates pivotably mounted to the board along a lengthwise direction of the opening. Each plate defines a cutout in a first side. The plates are pivoted to be parallel to the board to cover the opening. The plates are pivoted away from the board to expose the opening, and the cutouts are operable to receive an end of an expansion card when the plates are pivoted to be perpendicular to the board.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to an air duct.

2. Description of Related Art

Air ducts are often used to fix distal ends of expansion cards to prevent the distal ends of the expansion cards from falling down. A plurality of through holes is defined in the air duct to allow airflow flows through to dissipate heat generated by the expansion card. As a result, although there is no expansion card fixed to the air duct, airflow still flows through the through holes, which is undesirable for regulating airflows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the present embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, all the views are schematic, and like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is an assembled, isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of an air duct including a plurality of latches and a plurality of plates, together with an expansion card.

FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1, but showing another using state.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the latch of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the plate of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosure, including the accompanying drawings, is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one.

Referring to FIG. 1, an exemplary embodiment of an air duct is provided for fixing an end of an expansion card 40. The air duct includes a board 10 and a plurality of plates 32.

The board 10 defines a rectangular opening 12. A top piece 120 and a bottom piece 122 perpendicularly extending forward from the board 10, respectively at a top side and a bottom side of the opening 12. The top piece 120 and the bottom piece 122 each define a plurality of fixing holes 126. A rib 20 coplanar with the board 10 is connected between the middles of opposite ends 124 of the opening 12. A plurality of spaced latches 26 is mounted on a front surface of the rib 20 and is longitudinally arranged along a lengthwise direction of the rib 20. Each latch 26 includes an extension portion 261 connected to the rib 20, a cantilever 263 perpendicularly extending out from an end of the extension portion 261, and a projection 264 extending from a left side of the cantilever 263. The projection 264 includes a slanted surface 268 slantingly extending rearward from a distal end of the cantilever 263 and a blocking surface 270 parallel to the extension piece 261 and connected between the slanted surface 268 and the cantilever 263.

Each plate 32 is rectangular, and defines a cutout 320 in a first side. Two pins 34 respectively extend out from opposite ends of a second side of the plate 32 opposite to the first side. The pins 34 are pivotably inserted into two opposite fixing holes 126 of the top and bottom pieces 120 and 122, to pivotably mount the plate 32 to the board 10 between the top and bottom pieces 120 and 122. In this embodiment, each plate 32 is positioned at a left side of one of the latches 26.

Referring to FIG. 2, in covering the opening 12, each of the plates 32 is pivoted rightward to allow a corresponding one of the latches 26 to extend through the cutout 320. An inner surface bounding the cutout 320 slides along the slanted surface 260 to deform the corresponding cantilever 263, until the plate 32 contacts the rib 20 and the blocking surface 270 abuts a surface of the plate 32 opposite to the rib 20.

Referring again to FIG. 1, in holding the end of the expansion card 40, the latches 26 are pivoted away from the corresponding plates 32, to allow the blocking surfaces 270 to disengage from the corresponding plates 32. The plates 32 are then pivoted forward to be perpendicular to the board 10 and to expose the opening 12. The end of the expansion card 40 can be engaged in the cutouts 320. Airflow may flow toward the expansion card 40 through the opening 12.

Referring to FIG. 3, in another embodiment, a plurality of spaced latches 27 replaces the above-mentioned latches 26. Each latch 27 includes an extension portion 261, a fixing portion 260 perpendicularly extending rearward from a left end of the extension portion 261 to be connected to the rib 20, a cantilever 263 perpendicularly extending forward from a right end of the extension portion 261 opposite to the left end, a projection 264 extending from a left side of the cantilever 263, and a spring 262 mounted between a rear side of the extension portion 261 and the rib 20.

Referring to FIG. 4, in another embodiment, the rib 20 and the latches can be omitted. Each plate 50 is rectangular. A tab 51 extends out from a first side of the plate 50. A protrusion 52 protrudes from one of opposite sides of the tab 51. Two pins 54 extend out from opposite ends of the first side of the plate 50. A cutout 56 aligning with the tab 51 is defined in a second side of the plate 50 opposite to the first side. In covering the opening 12, the plates 50 are pivoted rearward, the second side of one of the two outmost plates 50 are tightly abutted against one of the ends 124 of the opening 12, the other plates 50 each are abutted against the tab 51 of an adjacent plate 50, and the protrusion 52 of each of the other plates 50 is engaged in the cutout 56 of the adjacent plate 50.

It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the description or sacrificing all of their material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being exemplary embodiments. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An air duct, comprising: a board defining an opening; and a plurality of plates pivotably mounted to the board and arranged along a lengthwise direction of the opening; each plate defining a cutout in a first side; the plates covering the opening in response to the plates being pivoted to be parallel to the board; wherein the opening is exposed in response to the plates being pivoted away from the board, and the cutouts are operable to receive an end of an expansion card when the plates are pivoted to be perpendicular to the board.
 2. The air duct of claim 1, wherein a top piece and a bottom piece extend out from the board, respectively at a top side and a bottom side of the opening, two pins extend from opposite ends of a second side of each plate opposite to the first side of the plate to be pivotably inserted into the top and bottom pieces.
 3. The air duct of claim 2, wherein a protrusion is mounted to the second side of each plate to be engaged in the cutout of an adjacent plate.
 4. The air duct of claim 3, wherein a tab extends from the second side of each plate to be abutted an adjacent plate.
 5. The air duct of claim 1, wherein a rib is connected between opposite ends of the opening, a plurality of latches is mounted on the rib to fix the first sides of the plates in response to the plates being parallel to the board.
 6. The air duct of claim 5, wherein each latch comprises an extension portion connected to the rib, a cantilever perpendicularly extending out from an end of the extension portion, and a projection extending from a side of the cantilever to be engaged in the cutout of a corresponding plate.
 7. The air duct of claim 5, wherein each latch comprises an extension portion, a fixing portion and a cantilever perpendicularly extending from opposite ends of the extension portion in opposite directions, a projection extending from a side of the cantilever, and a spring mounted between a side of the extension portion opposite to the cantilever and the board, the fixing portion is connected to the rib. 